Western Times and Water Wars: State, Culture, and Rebellion in California (Centennial Book) [Paperback]

John Walton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 31, 1993 | Series: Centennial Book

Western Times and Water Wars chronicles more than a hundred years of tumultuous events in the history of California's Owens Valley. From the pioneer conquest of the native inhabitants to the infamous destruction of the valley's agrarian economy by water-hungry Los Angeles, this legendary setting is a microcosm of the development of the American West.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The Owens Valley communities of eastern California and their battles with the city of Los Angeles concerning water rights is a classic example of territorial conflicts. Walton presents a historical and sociological study of this largely unsuccessful battle in a community in which violence, rebellion, political activity, and state domination have been a fact of life since 1920. Walton guides the reader through conquest of Native Americans in the Owens Valley, the building of a pioneer economy, conflicts among ethnic groups and social classes, and the struggle to regain their lost dignity through collective action. His analysis shows how the expansion of a state's administrative and coercive power can undermine the autonomy of a local community by placing it in the hands of politicians, bureaucracies, and those with privileged access to state agencies. This book should be required reading for small communities involved in turf wars with nearby urban areas.
- Irwin Weintraub, Rutgers Univ. Libs., Piscataway, N.J.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"One of the half-dozen most important works in historical sociology by an American scholar. . . . A landmark book." -- Virginia Quarterly Review

"One of the most provocative and rewarding recent works about social movements and collective action in the United States. . . . A fascinating story of the American West; Western Times and Water Wars deserves high praise." -- David Plotke,Contemporary Sociology --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press (August 31, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520084535
• ISBN-13: 978-0520084537
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #456,898 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A little too academic for me., June 23, 2001

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Roger (Sonora, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Western Times and Water Wars: State, Culture, and Rebellion in California (Centennial Book) (Paperback)

The author is an historian and proud of it. I was reading this to get a better feel for the history of the "Rape of the Owens Valley" by the L.A. water wizards. I got the history I was looking for, but it was packaged in a form that made it harder to digest. The author was much too concerned with showing off his vocabulary and "dissing" other historians' views. He cleary had his own academic agenda and it got in the way of communicating. Still, the book gave me what I was looking for and it was worth the read.